Back Adjusting and Positioning Structure of Chair

ABSTRACT

A back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair is characterized in that: a backward tilt adjustment unit is disposed at the junction of a cushion frame and a back frame of the chair so that the backward tilt adjustment unit drives a screw segment with one end thereof extending inward to retract and/or protrude a blocking element coupled to a rear segment thereof in response to a knob&#39;s rotating in a predetermined direction, so as to control compression and/or expansion of a predetermined stop distance acquired by a spring fitted in the backward tilt adjustment unit, and in consequence the back in operation attains the required tightening and/or loosening state.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to a back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair, characterized in that: to achieve recumbent comfort and/or resilient tightening of a back of the chair, a knob disposed at one end of an adjustment unit disposed between the back and chair is rotated in a predetermined direction to drive a spring therein to move out and/or in by a stop distance in a predetermined state, thereby achieving anticipated loosening and/or tightening application through simple operation.

2. Description of Related Art

A chair can serve as a comfortable seat. To this end, a movement adjustment mechanism is disposed at a related position of the chair so that sitters of different body sizes make appropriate directional adjustments to the chair to, for example, change chair height or armrest height, move the chair forward, backward, inward or outward, change the angle of inclination of the back of the chair, or move the back forward or backward, so that timely dynamic component adjustment is performed on the chair in operation. In this regard, component adjustment is performed on the chair so that the back thereof is appropriately loosened or tightened to recline. The sitter tightens the back of the chair in order to be sedentary or loosens the back of the chair in order to be recumbent (for example, taking a nap.)

There are numerous applications of the aforesaid back loosening and/or tightening adjustment. Taiwan patent 296580 discloses “Structural Improvement in Chair Regulator,” including an adjustment unit which comprises: a support plate disposed below a chair and coupled to a base positioned proximate thereto; a screw segment extending upward from a pneumatic rod and inserted into the base at a predetermined position thereof to effectuate a directional limit; and a spring coupled to the base at another predetermined position thereof and from below so that the chair always exhibits appropriate comfort and resilience, wherein an engaging shaft penetrates the base laterally so that, to allow the chair to loosen and thus recline, the engaging shaft can be pushed inward to get free of the directional limit, thereby effectuating predetermined loosening and reclination. Manipulating the engaging shaft in the opposite way tightens the chair and thus precludes reclination.

Although the application of the inclination angle adjustment performed on the chair brings an anticipated loosening and/or tightening state, the spring ends up with resilience fatigue after long use and thereby loses its initial stronger resilience.

The present invention, which addresses the issue pertaining to the resilience of an adjustment unit in the course of loosening and/or tightening the back of the chair, is characterized in that: to achieve recumbent comfort and/or resilient tightening of a back of the chair, a knob disposed at one end of an adjustment unit disposed between the back and chair is rotated in a predetermined direction to drive a spring therein to move out and/or in by a stop distance in a predetermined state, thereby achieving anticipated loosening and/or tightening application through simple operation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The application of the loosening and/or tightening of a back of a chair is readily subjected to limitations and thus predisposed to a loss of resilience because of resilience fatigue. In view of this, the present invention is characterized in that: a backward tilt adjustment unit is disposed at the junction of a cushion frame and a back frame of the chair and adapted to drive the screw segment with one end thereof extending inward to retract and/or protrude a blocking element coupled to a rear segment thereof in response to a knob's rotating in a predetermined direction, so as to control compression and/or expansion of a predetermined stop distance acquired by a spring fitted in the backward tilt adjustment unit, and in consequence the back in operation attains the required tightening and/or loosening state.

The first objective of the present invention is to provide a back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair, adapted for adjusting, including loosening and/or tightening, a back of the chair, characterized in that: a backward tilt adjustment unit is disposed at a junction of a cushion frame and a back frame of the chair, and the backward tilt adjustment unit comprises a knob with a screw segment extending therefrom, a spring for controlling the resilience of the back, a blocking element for carrying the spring to undergo inward and outward displacement, and a support element abutting against a related segment of the cushion frame, wherein, after a pad has been fitted into the screw segment extending from the knob, guiding a support segment of the back frame into a pipe segment, fitting a pad into the screw segment, and meshing a screw nut with the screw segment so that the knob is confined to the support segment of the back frame, wherein the screw segment extending inside of the back frame guides in the blocking element coupled to the screw nut so that the blocking element undergoes predetermined inward and outward displacement along the screw segment in response to the rotation of the knob, wherein the spring is mounted on an inner side of the blocking element, and another end of the spring is confined to a recess region attributed to the support element and positioned proximate to the cushion frame, and at least one concealment member is disposed within the range of motion of the spring, wherein, to adjust the loosening and tightening of the back, the backward tilt adjustment unit drives a screw segment with one end thereof extending inward to retract and/or protrude the blocking element coupled to a rear segment thereof in response to the knob's rotating in a predetermined direction, so as to control compression and/or expansion of a predetermined stop distance acquired by a spring fitted in the backward tilt adjustment unit, and in consequence the back in operation attains the required tightening and/or loosening state.

The second objective of the present invention is to provide the concealment member disposed within the range of motion of the spring included in the backward tilt adjustment unit and adapted to control the resilience of the back comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, with an inward bent edge formed at an end of the inner sleeve to engage with a protruding segment disposed at a related part of the back frame, and an inward bent edge formed at an opposing end of the outer sleeve to engage with an inward region attributed to the support element and positioned proximate to the cushion frame, so that the inner and outer sleeves and the range of motion of the spring maintain a concealment state conducive to environmental isolation.

The third objective of the present invention is to provide the concealment member disposed within the range of motion of the spring included in the backward tilt adjustment unit and adapted to control the resilience of the back, wherein a predetermined segment located inside of the inner sleeve extends to form at least one bump so that a limit is placed on the inward and outward displacement of the blocking element coupled to a rear segment of the screw segment extending from one end of the knob, thereby maintaining stable retraction and/or protrusion.

The fourth objective of the present invention is as follows: when the blocking element which the screw nut is coupled to is guided in along the screw segment extending from one end of the knob included in the backward tilt adjustment unit, a restriction portion meshes with an inner end of the screw segment extending, so as to place a directional limit on the retraction of the blocking element.

The fifth objective of the present invention is as follows: a guidance application is disposed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve of the concealment member of the backward tilt adjustment unit, that is, two outer sides at one end of the inner sleeve each extend to form a bump for engaging with a recess disposed on an inner side of the outer sleeve so as to maintain a stable concealment together with the range of motion of the spring.

The sixth objective of the present invention is to effectuate the directional coupling of a cushion portion and the back of the chair, characterized in that: the junction of the cushion frame and the back frame of the chair extends to form supporting portions; holes are penetratingly formed in the supporting portions at the junction of the cushion frame and the back frame; after a spring has been inserted into a pipe segment, thrusting segments are disposed along two sides of the spring to abut against the pipe segment, outer screw segments of the two thrusting segments are guided out of the holes formed in the supporting portions at the junction of the cushion frame and the back frame so that the directional mounting and/or demounting of the back frame and the cushion frame achieves quick positioning and/or removal by inserting and/or retracting the two thrusting segments capable of appropriate resilient stop.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an exploded view of related components of a chair back adjusting and positioning structure according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a bottom perspective view of the chair back adjusting and positioning structure when assembled according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a lateral schematic view of the chair back adjusting and positioning structure when assembled according to the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 40-40 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 4-1 is a front cross-sectional view of a back frame in a secured state;

FIG. 4-2 is a front cross-sectional view of the back frame in a separated state;

FIG. 5 is a bottom schematic view of the chair back adjusting and positioning structure when assembled according to the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 60-60 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 6-1 is a partial enlarged view of FIG. 6;

FIG. 6-2 is a cross-sectional view of a back which reclines in a loosened state of FIG. 6-1; and

FIG. 6-3 is a cross-sectional view of the back which reclines in a tightened state of FIG. 6-1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIG. 2, a back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair, provided by the present invention, is for use in adjusting, including loosening and/or tightening, a back 20 of a chair 10 and is characterized in that a backward tilt adjustment unit 7 (shown in FIG. 1) is disposed at the junction of a cushion frame 1 and a back frame 2 of the chair 10. The backward tilt adjustment unit 7 comprises a knob 3 with a screw segment 31 extending therefrom, a spring 4 for controlling the resilience of the back 20, a blocking element 5 for carrying the spring 4 to undergo inward and outward displacement, and a support element 6 abutting against a related segment of the cushion frame 1.

After a pad 32 has been fitted into the screw segment 31 extending from the knob 3, a pipe segment 33 guides in a support segment 21 (shown in FIG. 6, FIG. 6-1) of the back frame 2. Then, a pad 34 is fitted into the screw segment 31. Afterward, a screw nut 35 meshes with the screw segment 31 so that the knob 3 is confined to the support segment 21 of the back frame 2. The screw segment 31 extending inside of the back frame 2 guides in the blocking element 5 coupled to a screw nut 51 so that the blocking element 5 undergoes predetermined inward and outward displacement along the screw segment 31 in response to the rotation of the knob 3. The spring 4 is mounted on the inner side of the blocking element 5. The other end of the spring 4 is confined to a recess region attributed to the support element 6 and positioned proximate to the cushion frame 1. At least one concealment member 41 is disposed within the range of motion of the spring 4.

The concealment member 41 is disposed within the range of motion of the spring 4 included in the backward tilt adjustment unit 7 and adapted to control the resilience of the back 20. The concealment member 41 comprises an inner sleeve 42 and an outer sleeve 43. An inward bent edge 421 is formed at one end of the inner sleeve 42 to engage with a protruding segment 22 (shown in FIG. 6-1) disposed at a related part of the back frame 2. An inward bent edge 431 is formed at an opposing end of the outer sleeve 43 to engage with an inward region attributed to the support element 6 and positioned proximate to the cushion frame 1. Hence, the inner and outer sleeves 42, 43 and the range of motion of the spring 4 maintain a concealment state conducive to environmental isolation. Regarding the concealment member 41 disposed within the range of motion of the spring 4 included in the backward tilt adjustment unit 7 and adapted to control the resilience of the back 20, a predetermined segment located inside of the inner sleeve 42 extends to form at least one bump 422 (shown in FIG. 6-2) so that a limit is placed on the inward and outward displacement of the blocking element 5 coupled to a rear segment of the screw segment 31 extending from one end of the knob 3, thereby maintaining stable retraction and/or protrusion. When the blocking element 5 which the screw nut 51 is coupled to is guided in along the screw segment 31 extending from one end of the knob 3 included in the backward tilt adjustment unit 7, a restriction portion 36 meshes with an inner end of the screw segment 31 extending, so as to place a directional limit (shown in FIG. 6-3) on the retraction of the blocking element 5. A guidance application is disposed between the inner sleeve 42 and the outer sleeve 43 of the concealment member 41 of the backward tilt adjustment unit 7, that is, two outer sides at one end of the inner sleeve 42 each extend to form a bump 423 for engaging with a recess 432 disposed on an inner side of the outer sleeve 43 so as to maintain a stable concealment together with the range of motion of the spring 4.

The directional coupling (shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3) of a cushion portion and the back 20 of the chair 10 is characterized in that: the junction of the cushion frame 1 and the back frame 2 of the chair 10 extends to form supporting portions 11, 23 (shown in FIG. 1, FIG. 4); holes 111, 231 (shown in FIG. 4-1) are penetratingly formed in the supporting portions 11, 23 at the junction of the cushion frame 1 and the back frame 2; after a spring 82 has been inserted into a pipe segment 81, thrusting segments 83 are disposed along two sides of the spring 82 to abut against the pipe segment 81, outer screw segments of the two thrusting segments 83 are guided out of the holes 111, 231 formed in the supporting portions 11, 23 at the junction of the cushion frame 1 and the back frame 2 so that the directional mounting and/or demounting of the back frame 2 and the cushion frame 1 achieves quick positioning and/or removal by inserting (shown in FIG. 4-1) and/or retracting (shown in FIG. 4-2) the two thrusting segments 83 capable of appropriate resilient stop.

To adjust the loosening and tightening of the back 20 (shown in FIG. 2, FIG. 3, FIG. 5), the backward tilt adjustment unit 7 disposed between the cushion frame 1 and the back frame 2 of the chair 10 operates as follows: a user rotates the knob 3 of the backward tilt adjustment unit 7 in a predetermined direction (shown in FIG. 6-2) by hand to drive the inward-extending screw segment 31 to retract (shown in FIG. 6-3) and/or protrude (shown in FIG. 6-2) the blocking element 5 coupled to the rear segment of the screw segment 31, so as to control the compression and/or expansion of a predetermined stop distance acquired by the spring 4 fitted in the backward tilt adjustment unit 7, and in consequence the back 20 in operation attains the required tightening and/or loosening state. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair, adapted for adjusting, including loosening and/or tightening, a back of the chair, characterized in that: a backward tilt adjustment unit is disposed at a junction of a cushion frame and a back frame of the chair, and the backward tilt adjustment unit comprises a knob with a screw segment extending therefrom, a spring for controlling the resilience of the back, a blocking element for carrying the spring to undergo inward and outward displacement, and a support element abutting against a related segment of the cushion frame, wherein, after a pad has been fitted into the screw segment extending from the knob, guiding a support segment of the back frame into a pipe segment, fitting a pad into the screw segment, and meshing a screw nut with the screw segment so that the knob is confined to the support segment of the back frame, wherein the screw segment extending inside of the back frame guides in the blocking element coupled to the screw nut so that the blocking element undergoes predetermined inward and outward displacement along the screw segment in response to the rotation of the knob, wherein the spring is mounted on an inner side of the blocking element, and another end of the spring is confined to a recess region attributed to the support element and positioned proximate to the cushion frame, and at least one concealment member is disposed within the range of motion of the spring, wherein, to adjust the loosening and tightening of the back, the backward tilt adjustment unit drives a screw segment with an end thereof extending inward to retract and/or protrude the blocking element coupled to a rear segment thereof in response to the knob's rotating in a predetermined direction, so as to control compression and/or expansion of a predetermined stop distance acquired by a spring fitted in the backward tilt adjustment unit, and in consequence the back in operation attains a required tightening and/or loosening state.
 2. The back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair according to claim 1, wherein the concealment member disposed within the range of motion of the spring included in the backward tilt adjustment unit and adapted to control the resilience of the back comprises an inner sleeve and an outer sleeve, with an inward bent edge formed at an end of the inner sleeve to engage with a protruding segment disposed at a related part of the back frame, and an inward bent edge formed at an opposing end of the outer sleeve to engage with an inward region attributed to the support element and positioned proximate to the cushion frame, so that the inner and outer sleeves and the range of motion of the spring maintain a concealment state conducive to environmental isolation.
 3. The back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair according to claim 1, wherein the concealment member is disposed within the range of motion of the spring included in the backward tilt adjustment unit and adapted to control the resilience of the back, and a predetermined segment located inside of the inner sleeve extends to form at least one bump so that a limit is placed on the inward and outward displacement of the blocking element coupled to a rear segment of the screw segment extending from an end of the knob, thereby maintaining stable retraction and/or protrusion.
 4. The back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair according to claim 2, wherein the concealment member is disposed within the range of motion of the spring included in the backward tilt adjustment unit and adapted to control the resilience of the back, and a predetermined segment located inside of the inner sleeve extends to form at least one bump so that a limit is placed on the inward and outward displacement of the blocking element coupled to a rear segment of the screw segment extending from an end of the knob, thereby maintaining stable retraction and/or protrusion.
 5. The back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair according to claim 1, wherein, when the blocking element which the screw nut is coupled to is guided in along the screw segment extending from an end of the knob included in the backward tilt adjustment unit, a restriction portion meshes with an inner end of the screw segment extending, so as to place a directional limit on the retraction of the blocking element.
 6. The back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair according to claim 1, wherein a guidance application is disposed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve of the concealment member of the backward tilt adjustment unit, that is, two outer sides at an end of the inner sleeve each extend to form a bump for engaging with a recess disposed on an inner side of the outer sleeve so as to maintain a stable concealment together with the range of motion of the spring.
 7. The back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair according to claim 4, wherein a guidance application is disposed between the inner sleeve and the outer sleeve of the concealment member of the backward tilt adjustment unit, that is, two outer sides at an end of the inner sleeve each extend to form a bump for engaging with a recess disposed on an inner side of the outer sleeve so as to maintain a stable concealment together with the range of motion of the spring.
 8. A back adjusting and positioning structure of a chair, wherein a directional coupling of a cushion portion and the back of the chair is characterized in that: the junction of the cushion frame and the back frame of the chair extends to form supporting portions; holes are penetratingly formed in the supporting portions at the junction of the cushion frame and the back frame; after a spring has been inserted into a pipe segment, thrusting segments are disposed along two sides of the spring to abut against the pipe segment, outer screw segments of the two thrusting segments are guided out of the holes formed in the supporting portions at the junction of the cushion frame and the back frame so that the directional mounting and/or demounting of the back frame and the cushion frame achieves quick positioning and/or removal by inserting and/or retracting the two thrusting segments capable of appropriate resilient stop. 